


Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate

by LinkSeasonMaster



Category: Seihou Bukyou Outlaw Star | Outlaw Star
Genre: Action/Adventure, Amnesia, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on deviantArt, F/M, Fluff, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Outer Space, Romance, Space Pirates, Spaceships, Treasure Hunting, Young Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-19
Updated: 2013-12-03
Packaged: 2018-01-02 00:49:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1050554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LinkSeasonMaster/pseuds/LinkSeasonMaster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hanmyo and Jim, a pair of young innocent lovers brought together and nearly separated by fate. When Hanmyo survives her second battle with the Outlaw Star, what does the future hold for her and Jim?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Seed of Another Future

**Author's Note:**

> First started writing this story back in May of 2011, and with the exception of the occasional one-shot, it's the only fan fiction story of mine that I've been able to work on when I get the chance to do any free writing since.
> 
> This starts off towards the end of Episode 20 (Cats and Girls and Spaceships) and goes on from there, but there's a major difference between this story and the source material. Canon is NOT ignored, however, so if you have not finished the series, I recommend waiting until after you've finished watching Outlaw Star before starting this story.

 

 

Prologue: Seed of Another Future

The Outlaw Star’s rematch with the mysterious pirate ship was over. The enemy’s grappler arms, which could separate and fight independently from the ship’s main body, had already been destroyed. As for what remained, it was only a matter of time before it exploded due to the heavy damage it had sustained.

In their previous encounter, the crew of the Outlaw Star had been thrown for a loop, for they had never faced an opponent that could effectively split itself into different parts. In a last ditch effort, the crew’s captain, the cocky womanizer Gene Starwind, had the ship fire off all of its remaining projectiles. This forced the pirate ship to counter the overwhelming barrage, giving the Outlaw Star an opportunity to escape.

Upon docking at a nearby space station, Symka 5, the crew’s tactician and youngest member Jim Hawking spent an entire night without sleep developing a strategy designed solely for defeating the opponent they had just faced. Once he finished, instead of going to sleep, Jim decided to explore the station, considering how it was already morning.

After coming across two cats, Jim followed the feline pair to a park. It was at the fountain in the park’s center that he first saw Hanmyo, a young purple-haired girl who was the same age as Jim and was the owner of the two cats. In Jim’s eyes, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever met. For a while, he merely gazed in awe at her, watching her practice what appeared to martial arts, though her form was so graceful one would think she was dancing. Eventually, she stopped and noticed that she had attracted an unexpected audience. Jim tried to talk to Hanmyo, but he was so nervous that he kept stumbling over his words. He even admitted that he liked her, although they had just met. Luckily, Hanmyo didn’t seem to mind at all, and upon finding out that neither of them actually lived on the station, but were both just passing through, even said that their meeting must be fate. Hanmyo then left to feed her cats, whose names were Kemi and Mata, but she and Jim promised to get together at one o’clock later that day.

When they met up again, Jim gave Hanmyo a small, but lovely bouquet of flowers. This present made Hanmyo feel not only flattered, but incredibly happy as well. Jim and Hanmyo spent the entire afternoon playing together in the park, and while they never really spoke about themselves or their backgrounds, the two came to know each other in a way most people didn’t. Hanmyo found Jim to be a cute, honest, and humble boy who was very kind and hard-working, while Jim saw Hanmyo as a pretty, cheerful, and strong girl with a sense of maturity he could easily identify with.

Before they knew it, the sun was setting and the two had to part ways, though they promised to meet each other at the same time and place the following day.

Upon returning to the hangar, Jim learned that the Outlaw Star was already repaired and everyone else was ready to depart. Disappointment and guilt could not begin to sum up how Jim felt at that moment. Soon after leaving Symka 5, the enemy ship from the day before appeared once again. However, the outcome was completely different this time. With Jim’s new strategy, the once formidable foe didn’t stand a chance, with each of its grappler arms being destroyed before the main body was inflicted with massive damage. It would be a matter of seconds before what remained of the pirate ship exploded.

What no one onboard the Outlaw Star knew was the actual identity of their soon-to-be dead opponent: Hanmyo, the girl Jim had met that day and had formed a deep connection with. Would Jim go to their meeting place, only to be confused and heartbroken when Hanmyo doesn’t show up? Would Jim go his entire life never knowing that he took the life of his first love? Or would Hanmyo survive their cruel clash and reunite with Jim at a later point in time? And if either Jim or Hanmyo had known the truth about the other prior to their second confrontation in space, what else would have changed as a result?

These are all possibilities that, along with others, have been explored and their stories told. Here, a new story and a new adventure will begin, similar to some of those before it, yet different all the same. A new seed has been planted, one that will forever change Jim and Hanmyo’s destinies once it sprouts and blooms.

** (To be continued) **

Preview:

Because of Jim, today has been one annoyance after another. First I wake up with a huge hangover and immediately I am made to work on the ship. Then Jim asks me for dating advice out of the blue, only to get second thoughts and start calling me out. And right when we’re about leave, he suddenly becomes really depressed, yet he STILL tries to act like a big shot, but who’s he trying to fool? Well, at least he cheered up after the fight, but why the hell is he so excited about going back to Symka 5 for repairs? Whatever, it’s not my problem. Huh? Wait a second, Jim! What do you mean you need an ambulance?

Next time on Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate: Miracle of Destiny. You better get ready!


	2. Chapter 1: Miracle of Destiny

Fate. Destiny. Some believe that the past, present, and future are all set in stone and cannot be changed, for better or for worse, no matter how hard one wishes. Others believe that the future is full of infinite possible outcomes, and that one’s fate is far from predetermined. Which of these explanations is the real answer? Is there truth to be found in both of them, or is the answer something else entirely? The concept has inspired countless theories, with every individual coming to his or her own conclusions. Nonetheless, one simple question remains unanswered. A question that has existed since the first sentient life form came to be, an answer to which has yet to be given and proven to be absolute, with no room for doubt. Is fate real or not?

* * *

 

The lights inside the ship had stopped working. Hanmyo knew that her ship, the Torata, was about to explode. There was a good chance that with all of the attacks her ship had suffered, Hanmyo might have also been hurt badly, but even if she had been, it wasn’t going to matter. Soon she would be dead, just like her feline companions, Kemi and Matta, who had been the ones controlling the grappler arms of their ship. Hanmyo began to wish that she had ordered her cats to return to the ship so that they could pull back, but immediately she pushed that thought aside. Even if they had successfully escaped, Hazanko would have had them executed for giving up on their mission and thus shaming the rest of the Anten Seven. Hazanko had been angry at Shimi and Iraga for failing to accomplish their objectives, but at least they had died while trying to carry out their assignments.

“A dead ship. The Torata won’t respond. Kemi…Matta…” said Hanmyo quietly.

 

Chapter 1: Miracle of Destiny

Tears began to stream down Hanmyo’s face from under her control helmet. Internally, the young pilot was apologizing to those she considered close, her cats and Jim, the first boy she ever had feelings for, perhaps even loved. “Kemi…Matta…I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you two. Jim…please don’t feel sad when I’m not there tomorrow. Let me be the only one hurting, so that I can take that hurt with me.”

In her mindscape, she sighed deeply. “You’re so nice and honest, and you try so hard at everything. Jim, you were the first boy…no, the first person to show me true kindness that I can recall, and you barely knew me. Someone like you deserves far better than a pirate like me.”

Back outside of her mind, Hanmyo glanced at the flowers Jim had given her earlier through her helmet. The bouquet was tucked inside her shirt, resting right in front of her heart. With a sad smile on her face, Hanmyo closed her eyes and silently gave one last farewell to Kemi, Matta, and Jim.

Suddenly, time seemed to come to a standstill. Two orbs of light, one green and the other blue, appeared between the Torata and the Outlaw Star. The lights, completely invisible to both ships raced towards the Torata, one towards each side. They phased through the walls, entered the cockpit, and came to a halt right in front of Hanmyo. The two orbs seemed to turn towards one another, as if to share a knowing nod, before turning back towards Hanmyo and entering her body. The cockpit was filled with a bright light, followed by time beginning to move once more. The Torata gave off a spark of electricity before it exploded a few seconds later, but there was no longer anyone inside to disappear with it.

* * *

 

Jim had been unable to hide his happiness when Gene announced with a sigh that they would have to return once again to Symka 5 for repairs. The repairman at the hanger hadn’t been too pleased that all of his hard work had been undone so quickly, but given the fact that it wasn’t often that he got to work on a grappler ship, and that Jim was a good negotiator, the two worked out an agreement. If the entire crew helped him out with his work around the space station’s various docks and hangars for the remainder of the evening, the repairman would start fixing the ship the next day while the crew slept, all while charging them the same amount as last time. So for the next few hours, everyone did their own tasks. Gene helped out with fixing ships in the repair hangar, while Aisha carried cargo onto and off of docked spaceships. Suzuka alternately supervised the two, making sure they didn’t slack off or get into any trouble. As for Jim and Melfina, they were in the office, with Jim helping out with all of the financial records while Melfina helped search for and provide Jim with particular files that needed attention. But both Melfina and the repairman were shocked with Jim’s behavior. He was so excited about his date that would take place the following day that he plowed through the mountain of paperwork like it was nothing. Jim was so into his work, in fact, that the only possible way to have gotten his attention away from it would have been nothing short of finding Aisha and having her scream in his ear.

Before anyone knew it, it was already four in the morning. The repairman told everyone that they had done plenty and could just go to bed, while he would start working on the ship around noon. While everyone else conked out immediately upon going to bed, Jim’s excitement about seeing Hanmyo the next day prevented him from successfully falling asleep. After lying wide awake in bed for a couple of hours, Jim finally decided to just get up and take a walk again. Determined not to wake anyone, the boy genius snuck off the ship, managing to slip past even Gilliam.

* * *

 

Jim would have gone straight to the elevator that would have taken him to the main part of the space station, had he not begun floating around in zero-gravity the moment he opened the hatch. Realizing that their ship was in the middle of the repair hangar instead of docked outside, Jim looked around before seeing the repairman. Upon realizing that the blond kid had spotted him and was floating his way, the middle age man sighed in exasperation.

“I thought I asked your ship’s computer to make it so that you wouldn’t be able to hear any of the noise,” the repairman grumbled, adding to Jim’s confusion.

“What do you mean? And weren’t you going to wait until noon to get started?” Jim asked, completely puzzled.

“That was BEFORE I took a closer look at all of the paperwork you did for me,” the repairman responded. “Kid, do you have any idea as to the amount of work you actually finished for me?”

“I…wasn’t really keeping track,” Jim answered embarrassingly.

“Well then…” the repairman began. “To put it one way, I haven’t taken a single day off from work in several years, but thanks to you, I’ll be able to enjoy at least three weeks of vacation, starting the day after tomorrow! What I’m doing right now is simply a gesture of pure gratitude, nothing else.”

“Gee, I don’t know what to say…” replied Jim, doing his best to hide the pride in his voice.

“How about telling me what you’re doing out here?” responded the repairman in a serious tone. “You look like you haven’t slept a wink in ages, and yet you’re still up and about.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” replied Jim. “I’ve got something going on later today, and I can’t stop thinking about it. I figured that maybe if I took a short walk or something, I might calm down a little.”

“Well, all I can say is I hope you’re able to fall asleep after your walk, cause there’s no point in doing whatever you have planned later if you can’t stay awake through it,” said the repairman.

“Me, too,” Jim agreed. “And once again, thanks!”

* * *

 

Five minutes later, Jim got off the elevator and started to walk around the station again. Soon after beginning his stroll, however, Jim found himself inexplicably drawn towards the park where he met Hanmyo. Upon arriving, he noticed that the entrance gate to the park was strangely wide open. Curious, he went in to investigate. With sunrise still more than an hour away, all the lampposts in the park were still lit. Upon reaching the fountain, Jim noticed someone slumped alongside the edge of it out of the corner of his eye. A nearby lamppost illuminated the person’s bruised face and damaged clothes, just enough for Jim to recognize who it was. Immediately turning deathly pale, Jim panicked and cried out, “HANMYO!!!”

* * *

 

To say that Gene was not amused when he heard Jim’s voice yelling out of his earring (he had forgotten to take it out in his exhaustion) would be a gross understatement. After receiving the rude wake-up call and noticing the time, Gene’s frown grew even larger.

“Jim, do you have any idea what time it is? And why are you calling me like this?” Gene growled.

“No time to explain! Just call an ambulance and have them come to the park right away!” Jim replied.

“Are you sure you didn’t just have a nightmare? You’ve been working way too hard lately.”

“I’m serious, Gene! Someone’s life could be at stake here, dammit! Get help RIGHT NOW!!!”

After that, Jim cut the connection. Still skeptical and half asleep, Gene grudgingly rolled out of bed and stumbled towards Jim’s room to give him a piece of his mind. Upon seeing an empty bed, however, Gene snapped out of his stupor, ran back to his room to get dressed, and stormed out of the ship, knocking one of Gilliam’s robots into the wall along the way.

“Why did Gene hit me this time?” moaned Gilliam.

* * *

 

After jumping straight into zero G when he wasn’t expecting to and angrily floating around for the next few minutes, Gene successfully made it outside. Almost immediately, he saw the park nearby and ran over there. “What’s that idiot doing outside right now anyway? And why the hell is the park even open at this hour?”

Seeing Jim kneeling on the ground near the fountain, Gene marched up to the little genius and got straight to business.

“What the hell are doing here, Jim? Do you have any clue what time it is?” Gene snapped.

“Gene, you moron! Where’s the ambulance?” Jim yelled.

“What’d you just call me, you little pipsqueak?” retorted Gene, not really listening.

Because they were too busy arguing, the two didn’t notice at all when Hanmyo very slowly began to regain consciousness. Her eyes opening at a snail’s pace, Hanmyo could vaguely see the silhouettes of two people standing in front of her. She could hear their voices, but couldn’t fully make out what they were saying. Her vision gradually improving, Hanmyo noticed that one of them was a young boy with a shock of dirty blond hair whom she quickly recognized.

‘Jim…What are you doing here?’ Hanmyo thought. ‘What AM I doing here, wherever HERE is? And…who is that with him?’ Seeing a man with red hair, she took in more of his features until…

‘Gene Starwind?!?’ Hanmyo internally gasped, recognizing him based on the description Hazanko had given the Anten Seven. ‘Why is he here, talking with Jim? Do they know each other? No, that’s impossible…isn’t it?’ Shock and realization hit Hanmyo like an asteroid, her eyes now completely open in disbelief at her sudden discovery. ‘They’re…friends? No…no! No! No! NO, IT CAN’T BE!!!’

As quickly as she had come to, Hanmyo fell unconscious once more. However, her body had begun to lean to the side and she fell, her head hitting the pavement. The sound of movement got the attention of Jim and Gene, which promptly lead them to cease their bickering. Upon realizing that Hanmyo was now lying on the ground, Jim panicked and raced to her side, fearing the worst.

“Hanmyo!?” Jim cried. Cautiously, but nervously, he straightened Hanmyo up back into a sitting position, then while kneeling on the ground, had her lean forward so that she was on his back. Standing up, Jim ran towards the park entrance, looking around for signs for a hospital. Or rather, he tried to run, but Jim wasn’t as strong physically as he would have liked, so he trudged towards the gate more than anything.

All this time, Gene had been watching Jim with an emotionless expression on his face. Noticing his lack of progress, Gene scowled and marched over to Jim before proceeding to lift Hanmyo off his back and placing her on his own.

“I saw earlier that the hospital is this way, and it isn’t too far, so come on!” Gene said before racing off, preventing Jim from complaining before the thought had even occurred to him. Jim immediately dashed after the redhead, just barely able to keep up. A minute later, Gene could no longer hold back on the question that had been driving him crazy.

“Jim, who is this kid and how the hell do you know her?” he asked the blond.

“Her name is Hanmyo, and she’s an important friend to me, alright?” Jim answered back.

“An important friend?” Gene questioned, but then immediately put the pieces together. “OH!!! I get it! She’s the date you had earlier! So what were you two doing out here so late? Did you rough her up too much or something?” he teased. Even in times of stress, Gene’s wit never abandons him.

“Would it kill you to keep your head out of the gutter for more than five minutes? I would NEVER do something like that to an angel like Hanmyo, you lech!” Jim retorted. He realized a moment too late, unfortunately, that he had made an unnecessary comment, giving Gene plenty of ammo.

“An angel, is she?” Gene laughed. “Even I wasn’t this much of a lady killer when I was your age!”

“Gene Starwind, now is NOT the time for this!” Jim yelled.

“Can you please stop freaking out? At this rate, you’ll go bald before we reach the hospital, which may I add happens to be just one more block away!” Gene criticized.

“Wait, what?” Jim said before looking up and seeing a giant building with a red cross on it in plain sight, causing him to blush in embarrassment at not having noticed sooner.

**(Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate)**

Gene and Jim crashed right through the hospital’s front doors, startling all of the staff members who were in the foyer. It wasn’t even 7 o’clock yet, so could anyone blame them?

“Um…excuse me,” one of the nurses asked shyly. “But can we help you with something?”

Gene looked at the nurse before beginning his explanation. “Yeah, my buddy here and I found this girl in the park, and she looks pretty hurt. I’m not sure how serious it is, but could you look her over?”

“Y-Yes, of course!” the nurse answered immediately, calling over her colleagues to take the girl off of Gene’s back and place her onto a stretcher and take her away. A few seconds later, Gene addressed Jim directly for the first time since they arrived.

“Hey, Jim? Don’t you think you should inform Hanmyo’s family about all of this?” Gene remarked.

“I can’t,” Jim said sadly. “In fact, I don’t know if she even has a family. We never really talked much about our personal backgrounds.”

“Then what the hell did you two do together all afternoon?” Gene asked.

“Just…stuff…” Jim muttered embarrassingly, not wanting to admit to acting like a little kid and just running around and playing.

“What kind of stuff?” Gene teased.

“None of your damn business!” Jim said even more softly, now with his eyes shut, unable to look Gene in the face.

“Alright! Alright!” Gene threw his hands up in mock defeat before getting serious. “But do you know anything about her? Anything at all?”

Jim opened his eyes half way before answering sadly, “Not much, just that she was here alone on Symka 5 while passing through on a trip with her two cats. Speaking of which, I need to ask Hanmyo what happened to them, since they weren’t with her when we found her.”

“Alone, huh?” Gene sighed. “What is it with kids trying so hard to act like adults?”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Jim asked angrily.

“That other than sharing a habit of trying to act like grown-ups when neither of you are one, I honestly don’t see anything you two could possibly share in common,” Gene answered indifferently. Before Jim could talk back, Gene went on. “This isn’t like you at all Jim. You haven’t known her for one whole day, and you know even less about her than you should, given that amount of time. So why is she so damn important to you?”

“You just don’t get it!” Jim responded furiously. He then whispered the next part, though Gene heard him anyway. “I should have known that someone like you couldn’t possibly understand how I feel.”

Normally, Gene would have been enraged by that last remark and would have started fighting with Jim, but he didn’t for two reasons. First of all, they were in a hospital, so that would be a really bad idea. Secondly, Gene noticed something odd about Jim’s voice when he made that last comment. It wasn’t an angry retort or even a resigned acceptance, both of which were common to hear from Jim when it came to Gene’s antics. It sounded depressed, something Gene couldn’t recall Jim ever being.

Before Gene could do anything about it, however, one of the nurses from earlier had returned. “I’m sorry to bother you,” the nurse said politely. “But we need both of you to answer some questions concerning the girl you brought in.”

“Uh, okay,” replied Gene hesitantly.

* * *

 

“Just to make sure I understand all of this,” the head doctor questioned Jim and Gene, who were sitting in her office, a while later. Pointing at Jim, she continued, “You met her in the park yesterday morning.” To this, Jim nodded. “You then got together and spent the afternoon with her before parting ways at around sunset. And at any point yesterday did she display signs that she was hurt in some way?”

“No, not at all,” Jim answered.

“Then about an hour and a half ago, you went for a walk because you had trouble sleeping and thought it would help you relax. You noticed that the park gate was open and you went to check it out. It was then that you found your friend Hanmyo lying on the ground,” the doctor added.

“Yep. Then I contacted Gene, and together we brought Hanmyo here,” Jim said, confirming their story.

The doctor closed her eyes and let out a sigh before looking at Jim and smiling kindly. “Well, Jim, I think that they should be almost done checking Hanmyo over, so you should be able to see her soon. She’s still unconscious, but she should probably wake up soon. Why don’t you go see her right now?”

“Okey-dokey, then! Thank you!” Jim said cheerfully, already out of his seat and on his way out the door. Gene was about to stand up as well, but the doctor stopped him.

“Actually, Mr. Starwind,” the doctor began. “There’s something I need to discuss with you.”

“Is this about paying for everything? Because if that’s it, then…” Gene stated, sick of having to worry about money so much lately.

“No, Mr. Starwind. There wasn’t much to do, so we won’t charge you a whole lot,” the doctor reassured him. “However, about Hanmyo’s injuries…”

“Yeah? What about them?” Gene asked.

“On the surface, the bruises on her face and scratches on her body appear to be fresh, along with a broken rib. I can’t say for certain, but it appears as if Hanmyo had been roughly thrown around at a high speed. And yet, even before we began to take X-rays, it was clear that she was almost fully healed,” the doctor explained.

“What do you mean, almost fully healed?” Gene asked, completely shocked. “Is that even possible?”

“If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would feel the same way,” said the doctor. “But right in front of me, the bruises were gradually, but clearly fading. And once we began taking the X-rays, we took several, and with each shot, the rib appeared to be constantly improving. In short, Hanmyo’s body is healing at an unnaturally fast rate, the equivalent of several weeks worth of recovery in one night.”

“Are you serious?” Gene responded.

“I don’t joke about these sorts of things, Mr. Starwind,” the doctor coolly answered. “I would be a liar if I said this was actually a bad thing, but given how bizarre this is, I was hoping you would be able to shed a little light on this mystery.”

“I’m afraid not,” Gene sighed. “Jim’s the one who knows her, not me. And even he has only known her for one day.”

* * *

 

Jim had finally found out where Hanmyo’s room was, and upon entering, found her fast asleep on a hospital bed. The purple-haired girl looked so peaceful while sleeping, Jim was satisfied with just pulling up a chair and sitting next to her bed, watching over her with a soft smile on his face.

“Hanmyo, I’m so glad you’re alright,” Jim said quietly, hoping Hanmyo could hear him, even in her unconscious state. “I don’t know why you were there in the park or how you got so badly hurt in the first place, but from here on out, I promise to protect you with everything I’ve got, because I know you’d do the same for me.”

“Jim, thank you,” a strained voice muttered, just loud enough for Jim to hear.

“Hanmyo?” Jim asked, attempting and failing to hide his excitement. He watched as Hanmyo slowly opened her eyes half-way and started to sit upright. “How are you feeling now?” Hanmyo glanced in his direction, her eyes still not fully open.

“Alright, I guess…” she began. Hanmyo squinted her eyes even closer, thinking hard, before donning an utterly perplexed and slightly pained expression.

“What’s the matter, Hanmyo?” said Jim worriedly.

“Jim, something’s wrong!” Hanmyo gasped. “My memory, it’s gone!”

* * *

 

“So…all you can remember is our meeting and the afternoon we spent together?” Jim asked Hanmyo a few minutes later. He was now sitting next to her on the bed, hoping to help her in any way he could.

“Uh huh,” Hanmyo confirmed, her face solemn. “And oddly enough, I can remember those things perfectly. Every single detail, from the sound of the fountain when I first saw you to me leaping into the air when you gave me those flowers.”

“I see. I’m sorry, Hanmyo,” Jim said, holding his head sadly.

“Cheer up, Jim!” Hanmyo said cheerfully, causing Jim to look at her in confusion. “They’re good memories, so you have no reason to apologize!” she explained.

“Yeah, I guess if you could only remember one thing, you’d want it to be a good memory, right?” Jim replied, feeling a little better.

“Yep!” Hanmyo agreed happily. “Though…” her expression became serious once more.

“Yeah, Hanmyo?” Jim asked curiously.

“There is something else,” she began. “I don’t know whether or not to call it a memory, but I have this overwhelming feeling inside of me.” Hanmyo closed her eyes tightly, holding her hand over her heart. “It’s like something between sadness and regret. It keeps telling me that Kemi and Matta, that they’re…gone. And that…I should be, too. I have no proof to back this up, but deep down I know that it’s true.” At this point, her eyes opened back up and tears began to form.

“Hanmyo…” said Jim quietly, unsure of what to say or how to respond. All he knew is he couldn’t stand to see Hanmyo cry. Instinctively, he rested his hand on her back and rubbed up and down gently, hoping to cheer her up, at least a little. Mere seconds later, Hanmyo turned to face Jim with a look of joy and gratitude gracing her features, with no trace of tears at all.

“You’re so sweet, Jim. Thank you,” Hanmyo said.

“But I didn’t even say or do anything worth mentioning just now. How did I help?” Jim asked, confused. To this, Hanmyo responded with a light chuckle.

“Yes you did, silly!” Hanmyo said in a cheerful tone. “You were sitting with me and trying to find a way to make me happy! That’s more than plenty!” At this, she shook her head in a reassuring manner. “Not only that, you’ve been doing all that and more this entire time! I can’t think of a good way to thank you enough!”

“Then how about you come with us?” Jim turned to see Gene standing in the doorway.

“How long have you been there?” Jim asked, afraid of what Gene might have heard.

“Doesn’t matter,” Gene responded nonchalantly. “The point is that if Hanmyo came along, you’d not only be happy, but you’d finally have someone your own age to annoy instead of us! It’ll be a nice change of pace, seeing you act like a child for once in your life!”

“Gene, could you please not say things like that right now?” Jim asked the laughing red-head miserably.

“Seriously, Jim, can’t you take a joke for once?” Gene calmed down. “Look, the hospital is ready to dismiss your friend here any time, the Outlaw Star has one more spare bedroom, and according to our ship’s blueprints, Jim’s chair can be separated into two without that much trouble. So all that’s left is your answer. What do say, Hanmyo? Do you want to come?”

Hanmyo was speechless, but quickly shook her head before jumping off the bed in a fit of joy. “I’d love to! Thank you, thank you!” Hanmyo cheered before pulling Jim off the bed and spinning around with him. “Jim, we get to travel together! Yippee!” Jim smiled bashfully along with her, but his mood was instantly killed when Hanmyo asked, “But shouldn’t we tell the doctor about my memory?”

Jim panicked, considering the extra money it would cost to pay the hospital, along with the additional docking fees during Hanmyo’s stay, but luckily, Gene thought of a cover-up.

“Don’t worry, Hanmyo!” Gene attempted to reassure her. “We already have another crew member who has amnesia, and I doubt she’d mind having someone to relate to. Besides, after what the good doctor has done for us, it wouldn’t be nice to trouble her anymore, right?” Gene said all this while occasionally throwing in fits of forced laughter, but apparently it was enough to convince Hanmyo.

“Um, okay,” Hanmyo said plainly. Jim sighed with relief, but Hanmyo noticed this. “Is something wrong, Jim?”

“Oh, it’s nothing!” Jim said quickly. “Besides, you and I get to be together from now on, and that’s all that matters!”

To this, Hanmyo couldn’t help but smile and hugged Jim in response. “I told you our meeting was fate,” she said quietly enough so that only a blood-red faced Jim could hear, while in the background Gene just looked on and laughed.

** (To be continued) **

Preview:

Jim sure looks so happy now that Hanmyo is a part of the crew. I’m glad. Gene also doesn’t seem to mind that much, and Aisha and Gilliam appear to have taken a liking to her already! I don’t know about Suzuka though, but I’m sure that she’ll warm up to Hanmyo soon. As for myself, I think she’s really sweet. Jim’s made such a good friend. Still, I just wish that he would relax and take a break for once. He’s been working so hard lately, and he’s been looking a little ill. I’m getting worried.

Next time on Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate: The Genius Short-circuits. You better get ready! ...Did I do alright, Gene?


	3. Chapter 2: The Genius Short-circuits

Mankind has long taken pride in its ability to think on complex levels, a quality separating it from all but a few other life forms. But even among sentient species, there are individuals who possess intelligence far above the average members of their race. Genius comes in many different forms.  Some brilliant thinkers come up with new theories or inventions that revolutionize society, such as advances in the field of medicine or interplanetary travel.  Others utilize their intellect and apply it to certain activities, competing with their fellows in an attempt to prove themselves. All of this often comes at a price, however.  When society acknowledges a person’s intelligence, high expectations are placed upon them.  Pushed to their limits, many bright men, women, and even children struggle to overcome the overwhelming pressure.  And sometimes, they may lose themselves completely.

* * *

 

“So what do you feel like doing, Hanmyo?” Jim asked as he and his two companions left the hospital.

“You mean to tell us that after everything that’s happened, you still want to do things other than sleep?” a bewildered Gene countered.  “If memory serves, you didn’t get any sleep last night.  How are you even able to hold a conversation right now?”

“I’ll be fine, so don’t worry about it!” Jim replied before turning his attention back to Hanmyo. “Anyway, you just got out of there, so let’s go celebrate and get some breakfast!”

“Okay! That sounds great, Jim!” Hanmyo agreed happily.

Gene just shook his head in exasperation.  “Whatever. You two do what you want. I’m going to bed!”

“See you later,” responded Hanmyo.

“Yeah, see ya,” said Jim.

Chapter 2: The Genius Short-circuits

Five and a half hours later, Melfina knocked on Gene’s bedroom door to tell him that breakfast was ready.  Pulling himself out of bed, Gene dragged himself to the kitchen where Melfina was cooking while Gilliam sat on the counter keeping her company.  Seconds after Gene sat down at the table, Aisha charged in like a speeding bullet before leaping onto a chair, leaning back and forth eagerly.  Meanwhile, Suzuka walked in quietly and calmly before taking a seat.

“Oh, breakfast, breakfast, breakfast!” Aisha chanted.

“Repeating the same word over and over again like you’re a pirate isn’t going to make the food ready any faster, Aisha,” Gene muttered.

“If she were truly trying to use Tao magic, I don’t believe she’s doing it correctly,” commented Suzuka plainly.

“Well, that’s to be expected,” agreed Gene.

“Who the hell gave you two permission to gang up on me like that?!?” roared Aisha.

“Aisha, please calm down,” begged Melfina, placing a plate in front of Aisha.  Luckily, this succeeded in stopping Aisha from yelling anymore, for the Ctarl-Ctarl immediately perked up and started chowing down on the steaming plate of scrambled eggs.

“By the way, where is Jim?” asked Gilliam after everyone had gotten a serving.

“I was wondering about that myself, actually,” added Melfina.  “When I went to his room to knock on his door, he didn’t answer.  And when I went in to check if he was alright, his bed was empty.”

“That’s probably because he’s still out with his girlfriend,” Gene said offhandedly through a mouthful of eggs.

Upon registering this piece of information, Aisha did a spit take and yelled, “His WHAAAT?!?!?!?”

* * *

 

“And that’s that,” finished Gene.  The red-haired captain had just spent the last half hour telling the rest of the crew what had happened earlier.  Everyone’s reactions varied.  Melfina had a hand held over her heart and had donned an expression that was like a cross between sympathy and empathy.  Meanwhile, Suzuka and Gilliam seemed to simply take in the new information without much outward reaction.  Aisha on the other hand…

“Bwahahahaha!  Jimmy’s got a little girlfriend!” Aisha roared in laughter.

“Would it kill you to be quiet, animal?” asked Gene.

“For the last time, quit calling me an animal!” snapped Aisha.

“Maybe now you’ll understand why I don’t like it when you call me Suzu…” Suzuka commented.

Aisha turned towards Suzuka and plainly replied, “Reow? Did you say something, Suzu?” To this Suzuka could only grit her teeth in annoyance.

“So, if I am to understand all of this correctly, Hanmyo is to become a crewmember, correct?” asked Gilliam.

“Yeah, you got it.  Speaking of which, could you go ahead and do whatever is necessary in order to split Jim’s chair into two?” said Gene.

“Very well,” Gilliam answered.

* * *

 

Jim and Hanmyo were walking back towards the ship, conversing along the way.  After they had gotten breakfast at a diner, the pair had gone back to the park and just sat and talked for a few hours before going to a café for lunch.  Jim had told Hanmyo a little bit about the rest of the crew, but much to their confusion, certain terms and even NAMES felt slightly familiar to Hanmyo.  These included “Ctarl-Ctarl”, “assassin”, “Melfina”, and “Gene Starwind”.  The last two were found to be the most bizarre amongst what seemed familiar, given that Hanmyo had not yet met the bio-android, while Gene had managed to forget to properly introduce himself earlier and hadn’t stated his last name.  Jim brushed it off as her mind playing tricks on her, but Hanmyo wasn’t so sure.

“Regardless, I can’t wait to meet everyone!” said Hanmyo cheerfully as they approached the ship. The pair had reached the dock where the ship was, and after crossing the bridge and arriving at the entrance, Jim looked up and directly into a surveillance camera.

“Hey Gilliam, could you register my friend here as a crew member?” asked Jim.

“Gilliam…that’s the Outlaw Star’s computer, right?” questioned Hanmyo.

“That is correct, young lady,” a polite voice answered, surprising Hanmyo, who was unable to pinpoint the source of the voice.  “I take it your name is Hanmyo?”

“Yes, but how did you-” Hanmyo stammered.

“Gene explained your situation to us earlier, and I must say that it is nice to see that Jim has made a new friend.  Therefore, now that I have finished registering you as a crew member, please allow me to welcome you aboard the Outlaw Star!” said Gilliam before opening up the hatch.

* * *

 

“My name is Hanmyo.  It’s nice to meet all of you!” Hanmyo introduced herself with a bright smile.  She was standing alongside Jim while the remaining crew members stood a few feet in front of her.  Melfina was the first to speak.

“How do you do, Hanmyo? I’m Melfina, and it’s a pleasure to meet you,” the bio-android said sweetly.

“And I am the great Ctarl-Ctarl Aisha Clan-Clan!” announced Aisha.

“I am known as ‘Twilight’ Suzuka,” the bokudo-wielding assassin stated simply.  Looking at Suzuka’s face, Hanmyo felt an odd yet very faint sensation, as if she had either met the calm and collected woman a long time ago or had known someone like her.  The purple-haired girl wasn’t sure which it was, but decided not to dwell on something so vague.

Unknown to everyone else, however, Suzuka had felt something as well upon seeing Hanmyo and was looking at the girl curiously.  What exact thoughts were running through the assassin’s mind, though, one could only guess.

“And I’m Gene Starwind,” the red-headed captain said proudly before ruffling Hanmyo’s hair, much to her embarrassment.  “Sorry I didn’t tell you my name earlier.  It’s not like me at all to forget to introduce myself.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” muttered Jim.

“Watch it, Jim,” warned Gene.  “Anyway, after we’ve taken off and everything, one of us will give you a tour of the ship.  Can you wait until then?”

“Sure!” replied an excited Hanmyo.

“I can’t wait to show you around, Hanmyo!” agreed an equally excited Jim.  Unfortunately, Gene had other plans.

“Actually, I need you to do something,” said Gene. “Fred sent us some data concerning a place that supposedly is related to the Galactic Leyline (yet another name that felt familiar to Hanmyo for some reason).  It’s in an encoded e-mail addressed to you.”

“Yeah, so you better hop to it, Jim!” Aisha chimed in.

“Are you serious?” grumbled Jim. “Aw man! I really wanted to give Hanmyo a tour…”

“I can do that, Jim,” said Gilliam.

“Okay,” Jim sighed in defeat.

* * *

 

“We’re off to the Galactic Leyline and the treasure!” cheered Aisha about an hour after the Outlaw Star had left Symka 5.

_‘I wonder if all Ctarl-Ctarl have short-term memory…'_  pondered Gene, considering how he had said earlier that they were heading somewhere _related_ to the Galactic Leyline, not the Leyline itself.  He found it really irritating that while they still had no idea as to where exactly they were going, their enemies were pretty damn good at tracking _them_ down.  Admittingly, he admired Aisha’s perserverance, but even though he was trying harder not to tease her as much as he used to, some habits die hard.

“Hey, Gilliam?” Gene asked, breaking the silence.

“Yes, Gene?” responded the computer.

“How’s our newest recruit doing?” the red-headed captain inquired.

“Hanmyo is doing quite well,” responded Gilliam.  “She’s very enthusiastic about the tour, and she’s also very polite.  I must say, Jim picked a very good new friend.”

“Well it WAS my idea to let her join!” bragged Gene with a smirk on his face.

“Save it, Gene,” commented Aisha.

_‘Forget being nice to the animal. She should be respecting me, not the other way around!’_ Gene thought angrily while Melfina just laughed lightly and Suzuka allowed herself a small smile.

“I agree. Hanmyo is very nice, and quite cute, too.  Jim’s lucky to have found her,” mentioned the bio-android.

* * *

 

“And that concludes our tour. I do hope you enjoyed yourself,” said Gilliam.

“Oh yes, very much! Jim’s lucky to be on such an incredible ship!” confirmed Hanmyo cheerfully. “By the way, may we stop by Jim’s room on the way back?”

“Why of course we may, Hanmyo,” answered the computer.

* * *

 

“I’m finally done!” said Jim as he slumped in his chair. “The encryption Fred used was easy enough to figure out, but finding out additional information about the place was such a pain.  There wasn’t a lot though, and I’m not sure whether or not to be surprised by that.”  Jim let out a yawn, but to his surprise, this was followed by a brief, yet quite painful, coughing fit.

“Maybe…maybe I should rest instead of going back and joining everyone…” Jim said to himself before shaking his head.  “What am I saying? Without me, nothing is going to get done.  Well, gotta get goin’!” Jim forced himself up and made his way towards the door of his room.  But just at that moment, it opened to reveal Hanmyo.

“Hi, Hanmyo.  Are you already done with your tour?” asked Jim.

“Yep! You’re ship is amazing, and Gilliam is very nice. I’ve never before seen a ship’s computer that’s developed such an emotional personality,” answered Hanmyo, who then gasped.

“What’s wrong, Hanmyo?” Jim’s voice was laced with concern.

“Oh, it’s nothing, Jim,” Hanmyo reassuringly shook her head while smiling.  Internally, however, the young girl was contemplating the statement. ‘ _Why did I say that I’m familiar with computers?_ ’ pondered Hanmyo. ‘ _How…How could I even know such things? I don’t remember anything like that and yet somehow…I know that I wasn’t making it up either. I’m so confused. Who…just who was I before I met Jim?_ ’

“Are you sure you’re alright?” asked Jim once again.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” replied Hanmyo. “Anyway, are you still working? If it’s alright, may I keep you company?”

“Actually, I just fini…huh?” Jim began to say before he suddenly began to feel really weird.  His eyelids became very heavy, and he could no longer keep his balance.  The boy genius struggled to stand up right, but he proceeded to lose consciousness without warning.

Hanmyo caught his body before he crashed to the floor.  “Jim? Jim!” she pleaded in vain.

** (Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate)**

“Why didn’t he say something!?” complained Gene. The entire crew, plus Hanmyo and Gilliam were standing over Jim, who was lying on a bed in the infirmary.  Safe to say he wasn’t looking very good.

“Poor Jim. How did this happen to you?” Melfina said, her eyes beginning to tear up.

“That’s what I’d like to know! Would someone please tell me what’s going on around here?” asked Aisha.

“Jim seems to be suffering from a severe case of exhaustion. Not too surprising, given the circumstances,” Suzuka commented.

“Circumstances?” questioned Hanmyo.

“Well, Hanmyo,” Gilliam explained. “Over the course of the past few days, we have been in to grappler space combat twice.  On top of that, after our first battle, Jim stayed up all night planning out a complex strategy and didn’t get any rest afterwards.  And if I recall correctly, he didn’t sleep at all the following night either.”

The purple-haired girl took in all of this new information.  “So that means…” Hanmyo said before gasping with realization.

“That’s right,” confirmed Suzuka. “While I’m sure that most of the time the two of you spent together was very enjoyable, it was still most likely very taxing on Jim. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, Jim pushed his limits much harder than he should have and didn’t have any opportunities to properly rest and get his energy back.”

Before Hanmyo could start blaming herself, however, Melfina placed a comforting hand on the poor girl’s shoulder. “Please don’t blame yourself, Hanmyo. None of this is your fault. You had no idea how badly he needed to rest.”

Hanmyo looked up at the bio-android’s kind face, her eyes shining with gratitude. “Thank you, Melfina.”

“So how long until he wakes up?” Gene interrupted.

“Yeah, Jim’s the only one who knows where we’re going, right? What are we supposed to do until then?” added Aisha. Upon hearing this, Suzuka closed her eyes, deep in thought, while Melfina looked intently at Gene for answers. The silence didn’t even last ten seconds, however, for the newest member of the crew wasn’t too happy with the direction this conversation was taking.

“How could any of you say that? Doesn’t Jim’s wellbeing mean anything to you!?” Hanmyo yelled, completely outraged. The other people present were shocked at this outburst, but the surprises were far from over.

“Jim truly found a wonderful friend in you, Hanmyo. There’s not a doubt within my circuitry of that,” complimented Gilliam. However, he wasn’t quite finished. “I must admit, though, that it is odd that only our newest addition would be so perceptive. Then again, Jim did have a point earlier…” That last remark was probably not something he meant to share out loud, but Gene picked up on it nonetheless.

“What did Jim say? Tell me, Gilliam!”

The pink robot would have sighed if possible. “Oh dear….Jim probably won’t be too happy with me for divulging this, but since it technically refers to everyone here, well…”

“Say it already!”

“Very well,” the computer adjusted himself so that he could properly address the occupants of the room. “You see, our first night at Symka 5, I could tell Jim was feeling stressed from the grappler fight. On top of all that, he felt that he had to figure out how to defeat our opponent in a future encounter by himself.”

“Where would Jim get an idea like that?” asked Aisha.

“There’s more, though, isn’t there?” Gene’s expression was deadly serious.

“Correct, Gene. Jim made it clear that in his mind, this was not unusual for him to have to take on difficult or multiple tasks without anyone else there to help him. And when I sympathized with Jim, he said that there was no one else who noticed the extent to which he pushes himself. But he seemed especially annoyed with you, Gene.”

“What? With me? Please! Why the hell would he possibly be so angry with me?”

“I would think that it is quite obvious, Gene, given who you are supposed to be to him,” Suzuka hadn’t said anything for a while now, so Gene wasn’t too pleased that this was apparently the first thing she had to say.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Simply that you’ve known him longer than anyone, so why you do not realize his reasons is a mystery in and of itself,” the bokudo-wielding assassin replied.

“You still haven’t told me what these reasons are yet!”

“Very well then,” Suzuka said, her tone like that of a teacher dealing with a student who refused to listen at all. “In order to deal with your way of handling everything, Jim in turn feels that he has no choice but to go beyond what is necessary in order to keep things together and under control. What infuriates him the most is that this has become something he must do regularly, and while he tries to deny it, his body can’t handle it.”

“Yeah, Gene. He may be a genius, but he’s only a kid,” added Aisha. “Even young Ctarl-Ctarl aren’t capable of doing everything that a fully-grown adult can.”                                   

Melfina looked at Gene, her expression sad but otherwise unreadable. “Gene…” she said in a concerned voice.

Gene didn’t say anything, but if he had clenched his fists any tighter, his gloves might have been stained red.

* * *

 

“Dammit! Dammit! DAMMIT!” Gene stormed through the halls of the Outlaw Star, unable to contain his anger.

“Calm down, Gene. This isn’t going to accomplish anything” said Suzuka, who was managing to keep in step with Gene. When they had reached the cockpit, Gene turned his head and glared at the assassin.

“Calm down? After what you said, not to mention everything that’s happened, you expect me to just calm down? Jim’s nearly worked himself to death, and it’s all my fault!”

“Gene…?” Suzuka was slightly taken aback by Gene’s outburst.

* * *

 

“Jim…” Melfina said sadly while absentmindedly stroking Jim’s face. With the exception of Suzuka, all of the female members of the crew had stayed behind to look after Jim. Presently, Aisha was sitting on a chair near the head of the bed, looking at Jim sadly. Suddenly she stood up.

“There’s not really much here for me to do, so I’m gonna go take a walk. See ya later,” The crew’s resident Ctarl-Ctarl began heading for the door, but stopped when she passed by Hanmyo. Turning towards the young girl, Aisha’s mouth changed into a slight grin. “Hey, Hanmyo?”

“Yes, Aisha?”

“You know what, kid, you’re not half bad,” said Aisha, ruffling the girl’s hair. “After all, to a Ctarl-Ctarl, standing up for and protecting one of your own is a sign of utmost loyalty!” With this, Aisha left the room with an expression of absolute joy and pride. Melfina chuckled at this display, mystifying Hanmyo. Seeing the young girl’s confusion, the bio-android explained.

“Aisha’s never actually said this out loud, but I’m pretty sure she thinks of Jim as her little brother. When Aisha gives you a compliment like the one she just gave you, it means she really likes you!” Melfina’s smile was contagious, and Hanmyo could feel the ends of her mouth being tugged upward. Unfortunately, the cheery atmosphere was only temporary. Melfina let out a deep sigh, closing her eyes and frowning sadly. “Jim’s always doing such kind things for me, and I never do anything special for him in return. Seeing him lying here sick, I feel horrible.”

“Don’t be like that, Melfina!” Hanmyo insisted. “I don’t think Jim ever blamed you for anything. In fact, I doubt anyone could get mad at you!”

“She’s right, Mel…” a soft voice groaned from the bed.

 

* * *

 

“You, Gilliam, even Aisha, everyone was right. I knew Jim was biting off more than he could chew, and I didn’t do anything to stop him.” Gene took a deep sigh. “It’s always been like that, me doing all of the dangerous jobs while he just manages everything from behind the scenes. I never once tried doing any of his work. If I had, maybe I would have stepped in a long time ago.”

The red-haired captain walked by Jim’s seat and ran his hand over the edge. “First with Leilong and now here, I’ve nearly lost what’s important to me when I could have done something before it got to that point.” Gene looked up at the ceiling with a contemplative expression on his face. “I’ve never been one who likes to work, but if people are going to suffer because of it, maybe…maybe I could try to change, at least a little.”

 

* * *

 

“Jim, how are you feeling?” Melfina asked, worried that he might try to get out of bed.

“Ugh…really tired…and my limbs feel like they’re encased in cement.”

“If that’s the case, then you’re definitely not getting out of bed until you’re completely better,” said Hanmyo.

“But…the ruins…” It was clear that Jim barely had even enough energy to talk.

“They can wait, Jim. We all need…No, we all WANT you to be at your best before we go anywhere else,” Melfina assured him.

Jim was surprised, though he wasn’t able to show it. “Are you…Are you sure, Mel?”

“Yes, Jim. Although…” Melfina paused for a moment.

“Although what?” asked Jim.

“Jim, please promise me that you’ll won’t push yourself so hard anymore,” requested Melfina. “You’re far too important to everyone here for you to work yourself to death.”

“That’s right, and until you’re all better, we’re gonna take good care of you!” Hanmyo said with a determined smile.

“You don’t ne-” Jim began to argue, but Hanmyo interrupted him, shaking her head.

“Jim, over the past few days, you’ve done so much just for me. You gave me flowers, you took me to the hospital, and you even let me join your crew. Looking after you is the least I can do to repay your kindness,” Hanmyo said sweetly and sincerely, making it impossible for Jim to even want to argue.

“I feel the same way, Jim, so please don’t worry about us,” Melfina shared a knowing look with Hanmyo and the two smiled happily.

“Yep! It’ll be our pleasure!” added Hanmyo.

Jim finally began to relax after that, and slowly his eyes began to close. “Thank you, Hanmyo. And…thank you, too, mom…” the blonde-haired boy whispered. As Jim fell back to sleep, Hanmyo grinned and glanced at Melfina. The bio-android put a hand over her chest while a tear fell from each eye.

“Mom…” Melfina closed her eyes and a ghost of a smile graced her kind face. “He called me mom…”

** (To be continued) **

Preview: I’m no archeology expert, but for such a primitive world, these ruins are incredible! The Eroba Reo Ruins of Ctarl-Ctarl are still far superior to these buildings, though! But at any rate, if this place really is connected to the Galactic Leyline, then there’s BOUND to be tons and tons of treasure here! Huh? What are you saying, Gene?!? Are you hiding something? Tell us what you know already!

Next time on Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate: Shattered Seals.  You better get ready! Reow!


End file.
